


The Cry of the Sightless

by CookeiWookei



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:08:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22964413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CookeiWookei/pseuds/CookeiWookei
Summary: A world of torment, grief and agony. A fight between eras, timelines and the bearers of the soul. The sinking feeling is growing, parasitic guardians, heartache, turmoil, necromancy and hardship. The story of Link, and his journey to save Hyrule from the threat of Calamity Ganon.
Relationships: Amali/Kass (Legend of Zelda), Link & Mipha (Legend of Zelda), Link & Prince Sidon, Link & Revali (Legend of Zelda), Link/Revali (Legend of Zelda), Mipha/Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Saki/Teba (Legend of Zelda), Zelda & Link
Comments: 6
Kudos: 16





	1. Awake.

**Author's Note:**

> Part one: Cry of the Guardian

With a flash, light flooded into the mind, coating the walls and corners of the brain in a bright yellow colour. A faint voice could be heard from the source, accompanied by a strong ringing in the ears, growing louder, and loude. Making the words unrecognizable, until one word was spoken. "Zelda".

The room came into concentration, it was dark, illuminated only by the liquid dripping off of the skin, pooling onto the floor from above. Arms struggling, legs kicking furiously. The only aim was to escape from the frame that bound the limbs to the ceiling. In the midst of struggle, a sense of self returned, and with a defeated sigh, He looked at the frame. The frame was connected to the walls of a large, cuboid shape, hanging off of a flat ceiling. Upon closer inspection, he could see tubes, clear-looking tubes. The tubes ran through the frame, transporting a glowing, blue liquid, directly into his body. He could feel it, the liquid. Entering directly into his veins. A sense of pain, injury returned, and it hurt. He let out a loud, pained yell from his entrapment, his earlier struggles resumed, until eventually, the pain stopped, as did the liquid.

Without a moment to think, he was dropped onto the hard, stone flooring from the roof. This made him yelp in pain, his entire body felt as if it shouldn't be working, as if it shouldn't be here, shouldn't be here, shouldn't be... here? He looked around. From the ground, he could get a lot clearer view of everything, including his own body. Parts of him had a slight grey-ish toning, spreading out into odd patterns and shapes on his physique. His blue eyes slowly drifted around the area, it was cleared out, claustraphobic, there was one doorway, which lead into a more illuminated chamber.

Stumbling, he got to his feet, and made his way to the doorway, exiting into a larger chamber, connected to a hallway. He didn't focus on the hallway, instead, a kind of table-looking structure in the middle of the room. It had a large dip in it, as if something were supposed to be placed inside.  
"Oh? I thought I heard you awakening."  
The deep, soft voice came from behind Him, where a tall man, with a large, silver beard stood, his face sheltered by a cloaked hood.

The Old Man seemed to give a smile to Him, this made Him take a step back. Although he was welcoming, something seemed.. off about him, but He couldn't put his finger on it.  
"Where... am I?" He asked, suprised by his own voice. He looked to the Old Man.  
"You really remember nothing?" The Old Man asked, his smile slowly turning upside down, into a frown. "I suppose that is to be expected, you did die, after all."  
He tilted his head. "I.. heard a voice." He replied simply, pointing towards the room in which he had awoken.  
"Ah.. Yes." The Old Man's eyes narrowed, looking at the room to the side. "It makes sense that Zelda would try and contact you. To try and awaken you like this."  
"Zelda?" He asked, his face crumpling in confusion. "I've heard that name before.."  
"I know you have." The Old Man answered with a smile.  
"What else do you know about me? Who am I?" He looked to the Old Man for answers, his hands clenching in the anticipation, the desperation for answers.  
"Well.. Your name, is Link, and you have been dead for one hundred years, two months and fourteen days, if I've been keeping track correctly." This suprises Link, he didn't feel that old, or even look it from what he could see of himself.  
"You were once the appointed knight to princess Zelda, and the hero chosen by the sword that seals the darkness. You were chosen to slay the beast that ravages the land of Hyrule, Calamity Ganon."

"Calamity... Ganon?" Link asked, looking at the Old Man in confusion. The Old Man looked to him with a warm sympathy.  
"..Follow me, Link." The Old Man walked out towards the entrance to the cave, stopping by a tightly shut door. To the side of the door, there was a terminal. Link made his way to the terminal, step by step. It reacted to him before he even got close enough to grab what was ejected. Now standing upright on the terminal was a small slab, covered with intricate, almost golden-coloured designs, mimicking that of the walls around him. The door rose, slowly sliding open from above. The object that had blocked the way was now somewhere above the Shrine, gone from sight.

The Old Man smiled to Link once again. "Keep that slate with you. It is called the 'Shiekah Slate.', a powerful, and useful device made by a race known as 'Shiekah'. They created incredible technology, such as this Shrine that you currently stand in." He turned towards the empty frame of the entrance. "Now, we must proceed." The man walked with a power, a commanding stature, with the grace and elegance of a waterfowl. The raggedy, stumbling Link followed behind. His body was stiff, and sore, after he had been hanging from the ceiling for over a hundred years.

The two reached the entrance to the shrine. After scaling a small ledge, Link stepped into the open, being forced to shield his eyes from the brightness of the sky. His feet came in contact with the grass, it was immediately prefferable to that of the cave floor below his body. A sudden warmth hit Link upon stepping outside of the cave. Was.. the outside world all this pleasant?

The Old Man slowly, patiently walked out behind the Hero. His arms crosded behind his back regally. The man stood beside the boy, as if had done so many times before. His figure lingered between the shadow of the cave, and the light of the world laid out before the two.  
"Welcome back, Link." The Old Man spoke, his words seemed genuine, warm, yet saddened. "There is much work to be done."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link has a nightmare, and recieves something mysterious. The Old Man reminds Link of the events that happened before he awoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, there's a little bit of some confusing stuff in this chapter, sorry if y'all get lost at any point. I tried to make it as easy to understand as possible.
> 
> Lyrics in this chapter come from Alien Blues by Vundabar

Was it the best you've ever had?  
Was it the worst you'd never known?  
I'd try to tell you what I think  
and play it off like it's a joke.

Small laughs escaped a small mouth. "___!" More laughs erupted, following a blurred, distorted word. It seemed to be a name, one which Link had no memory of, no recallation. As a matter of fact, Link didn't remember this scene at all, yet he could feel it so vividly, so closely, as if it were truly happening right that moment. He sat in a golden field, coated in a rich light, glistening along the blades of grass that infested the ground before him. The sky was a deep, navy blue, with all kinds of colours flooding the crevices, the light of the dying sun just barely kept the plains around him lit, the evening colours plaguing the hills. Link watched this scene, taking everything in. He watched the greying clouds, the miniscule creatures in the flora. Until finally, his eyes settled on the shape of two figures. One of which was clearly himself, dressed in a blue tunic, arm wrapped with a vibrant, multicoloured brace. Link wore a simple outfit of plain trousers, tall, brown boots, and something that was noticably abnormal in this look. The crown of flowers placed upon his head, made from many different breeds, species, sizes. The colours contrasted, mixed, and danced a cruel, wild dance among the boy's golden field of hair. The flora changed colour with every little movement of his own head, floating through every single colour imaginable, until it settled on a deep, and passionate red. He watched his own eyes turn to a figure that was holding him close. Link was smiling widely, and as if he hadn't seen the figure smile in his life. Link's eyes widened, and he watched as his wide smile grew into a deep, uplifting grin. It was hard to see who the one behind him was, he could make out few features, however, he did notice a glimpse of deep, entrancing navy on the person, mingled in between what he assumed to be clothing.

The scene froze, as if time were halting it, and space was bending around it. Link cocked his head in confusion, and, as he blinked, the figure behind him was missing appendages, limbs, organs. Blood was spilling out of the person who he had looked up to with such a smile. The flowers on his head turned a noticable shade of black, as empty, dark, blue eyes stared directly at him. He looked into his own soul to find naught but a husk. One word was uttered by himself, in many voices, somehow still at once, in a whisper but a scream, a yell but a mutter. As if it were being stated by everyone in the world at once.  
"You."

Link awoke in a cold sweat, his body ached, and pained, twinging and heaving as he forced himself to sit up. His breathing was quick, and rugged, eyes wide and panicked. The hylian held his head, wringing his blonde hair with his fingers. The hyperventilating calmed, slowed to heaves, deep breaths, not unlike panting. Eventually, his reaction subsided, and he was left alone. In darkness. The old man who he had met yesterday was sound asleep on the opposite end of the campsite. The only light in the world was the moon, it shone a bright silver, coating the dead embers with a twilight.

Was it a dream? No, it was too vivid. It was too bizarre to be a memory though.. maybe a mixture between the two?  
Link had no idea. It was only recently that he had found out about the fact that he had lost his memories, that he was somebody else before he woke up. Who was the person he was before? Who was the person who died so horrifically in his nightmare?

Suddenly, the campfire ignited. The hylian jumped as this happened, caught off guard by the sudden happenstance. This fire, it was different. It had a pale blue colour, and sat upon dead wood and ashes. It seemed to call to Link, to draw him in. As if the boy was missing something that could only be found within the flame. He didn't notice he was shuffling closer, destroying the distance between himself and the element. Upon reaching the light, he reached out towards it, and found that it wasn't at all hot, simply pleasantly warm to the touch. Link watched as the flames licked across his hand, it was mesmerising. He was compelled to reach in further, to search for something of importance. His hand stroked along the pit, until it found something smooth, and cold. Something untouched by either flame. His fingers curled around the shape. It had a smooth, metallic feel. Link drew his hand out from the fire, which seemed to be sucked into the object in his palm. His fingers parted.

Laying in his hand was a necklace, an amulet of sorts. The centre of the accessory was a silver slab, etched with intricate shapes and patterns. The very middle of said slab held a gem of sorts, a beautiful stone, void of colour, save for what seemed to be a flickering, blue shape at the bottom, almost as if it were inside the gem itself.

A rustle of clothing came from the direction opposite to Link, he could hear the Old Man moving, possibly waking up. Swiftly, he hid the amulet in the pocket of his old trousers, silently laying down facing away from the man. The hylian could feel a pair of eyes land on his back. A few seconds passed before the Old Man lay down once more, and had assumedly returned to his slumber. Link let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding. His hands quivered slightly after the whole ordeal, the few feelings of anxiety shivering out along with them. A few moments passed as Link's previous calmness returned. He had no idea why he hid the amulet from the old man, or as to why he didn't want him to know he was awake, but he felt it was neccessary. He felt it was crucial that the old man didn't find out, and that caused a feeling of great nervousness in his stomach. He didn't know how he would be able to manage that, but, that would be for him to worry about in the morning. Slowly, and gently, the patient lull of sleep reclaimed the boy.

The sun lumbered over the hills a few hours later. The birds in the nearby forest had only just began to wake, calling out their sweet, charming songs into the world. Slowly, the hylian boy's eyes fluttered open. It seemed that the calls of the avians, and the light from the sun had ripped him from his dreamless slumber. One would think being comatose for a little over a hundred years would take out the desire to sleep, after having done so for over a century. This was still hard for Link to take in. That he really had been asleep for that long, that he existed, had lived before he woke up yesterday. Slowly, he heaved himself up until he was kneeling, rubbing the sleep out of his eyelids, firmly shut as his palms grazed against them.

Upon finishing clearing his eyes, the hero placed his hands on the ground, swinging his legs around until he was sitting. He felt a lump in his pocket where the amulet was still held. Link looked over to his pocket briefly. 'So that wasn't a dream, huh?' He silently thought, almost astounded that the events he had experienced during the hours of darkness had taken place. Idly, his eyes wandered to where the Old Man had been sleeping opposite him, and realized for the first time this morning, that he had gone.

Link looked around him, his eyes glazed in confusion. That was, until, he saw the figure of the man, standing on the edge of the ridge, a few steps away from where the sheltered camp was. The boy stood up, slowly approaching the ridge where the man stood, looking into the horizon. As Link approached, the Old Man's eyes drifted over to him, softening as they reached the boy's face. "Ah, Link. You're awake." His voice rang out with a softness, as if he were speaking to someone he had known for a long time. Link gave a simple nod in return.

The Old Man blinked. "I suppose we should start things off, then?" He suggested, watching the boy's unchanging, solemn expression. The man sighed, before looking to the horizon once more. It had always been a melancholy sight for him, the vast expanse of the world that he knew, and had fallen, partially due to something he did, or, didn't do. The Old Man let out yet another, heavier sigh. "Then we shall start at the beginning." "By beginning, you mean..?" Link asked curiously, his head tilting to the side ever so slightly. "Yes, The very beginning. Before you.. fell." The man had to stop getting ahead of himself in his speech, to take things in steps. Like Zelda had. "It started many years ago." The old man began. "I suppose it happened when a group of Shiekah archeologists unearthed something. Something the likes of what we've never seen before." The man's mind wandered back to the past as he spoke. "It started when the first guardian was unearthed. A lost piece of shiekah technology from thousands of years, long since passed. They were designed to aid people, to assist in the fight against Calamity Ganon. Along with them, the four Divine Beasts came into light. Giant machines, designed to be piloted by four chosen champions. One from each of the races scattered around Hyrule. Each of the beasts was designed to traverse, and exist in their respective climate, and to use their complex abilities to help in the fight against Calamity Ganon, along with the large army of Guardians that seemed to be buried beneath the earth." "Together with the Shiekah, Zelda, the Princess of Hyrule, worked to restore these incredible machines, to restore them to their former glory, and to use them to their utmost potential against Calamity Ganon. Unfortunately, after a new design of Guardian was found, things started to fall to chaos. This newly found variant of Guardian was unlike any of the others, it looked like.. some kind of liquid, yet it still remained functional and moving after it had restored power. These new Guardians.. they bonded with the skin of people, like some kind of parasite. They shifted their form, and became weapons, armour, sometimes even going far enough to become full suits on the host. With the growing threat of Ganon increasing, we saw potential in these new devices. We were going to attempt to utilize them to create soldiers strong enough to fight the Calamity, to assist you, the one chosen by the Sword that Seals the Darkness, in defeating Ganon. However, when Calamity Ganon did awake, it possessed the ancient tech. It used the Divine Beasts, the guardians, and even the new model we had found, to wreak havoc on the kingdom. It killed each of the Divine Beasts' champions with their own machines, and to devastate Hyrule." The Old Man looked down with a saddened, reminescent look. "But, before Calamity Ganon broke free from the castle.. Princess Zelda, she.. She used her sacred powers to keep the Calmity at bay, to trap it within the castle. However, while protecting on her way to the castle, on her way to that final fight.. Link, You died in combat, shot through by a Guardian's beam." This news caused Link's face to change, for his eyes to widen in almost horror at the new information. "I... Died?" He asked slowly, his lip quivering with the pure shock of it all. This left a sour taste in the boy's mouth, and made his stomach roll over. The Old Man did nothing but nod and continue the story. "Upon your death.. You were brought to the Shrine of Ressurection, though, it was too late to use the primary chamber to save you. So, there was no choice but to use the only alternative, the only thing that could bring you back from death's eternal sleep, the.." Link had already guessed what this alternative was, the device he had woken up in, the.. "...Heart of Hylia." The Old Man's words interrupted Link's thoughts, saying what the boy was already thinking, though, he had no way of knowing how he knew the name of the machine. "And so, you were brought back, however, not as the same." "How so?" Link asked, his eyebrow raising in curiosity. "Well.. when one is only able to be revived by the Heart of Hylia, something happens to them, that makes them no longer.. what they were before." The man had to search for what to say. "They become a race of undead, a collection of people known as The Lifeless. Those with the blue blood given to them by Hylia herself." Link nodded in understanding, trying his best to follow the man's words. "Those who have been revived by these means lose their natural, bodily made blood, which is instead replaced by a blue liquid, the same blue liquid used to heal the severely wounded that are revitalized from the main chamber. This liquid is known as the 'Tear of Hylia'." Link nodded in understanding. "Thus-" The old Man continued "-A Lifeless' body cannot make this blood on its own. Normal methods of healing one'sself, such as eating, or sleeping, will only sate your appetite, or relieve you of fatigue. To recover from your wounds, you must make your new blood yourself." "But I don-" "Which is what I shall teach you." The Old Man interrupted the boy. "I shall teach you how to make the Tear of Hylia."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that these chapters keep being short, I never really want to use too much story in one chapter, as that would make it shorter imo, I promise I'll try to make the chapters longer, though it may release later


	3. Chapter 3: The one that took ages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> YEAH I KNOW I'M FUCKING LATE OK  
> I WAS PROCRASTINATING UP TO LIKE 600 WORDS AND THEN DID THE OTHER 400 IN ONE NIGHT
> 
> Anyway, Link remembers something about his childhood, and there are lots of dilemmas
> 
> Song used is Dr.Sunshine is Dead by Will Wood and the Tapeworms

The future must know where you've been,  
The past predicts the state you're in,  
The present did and will not last,  
Is. Isn't. Was. Have. Haven't. Has.

Link stood beside the Old Man, his eyes fixed on the pot that was in front of them, propped up on a campfire.

"Watch what I do." The Old Man instructed. He gathered up a series of ingredients, Moblin Horn, Honey, Luminous Stones, a Sunset Firefly and a Fairy.

Link watched him work, grinding up the luminous stones with the moblin horn and honey. He watched the man's hands, dancing, swaying in a waltz of creativity and order, a continuous routine of equivalent exchange.

The movements, the beautiful work of limbs and mixtures, it was haunting, it was horrifyingly familiar to him. His ears filled with the voice of an unknown person.

"..and then you add the Cane Sugar..." A silky smooth, gentle voice. Link stared, eye level with the pot, crouched down to watch this woman cook. "Link, dear, are you listening?" The voice of the woman came through once again.

Link simply nodded and smiled, his small hands acting as a perch for his small head, watching and listening with such intrigue, the cooking process was inspiring. Taking bits of many things to make one glorious thing.

The small Link looked up at the woman with a smile. Her blue eyes were unmistakable, pairing almost exactly with his own, her auburn hair falling to the side of her head, drooping over her shoulder fairly. She gave a warm smile to the boy. "I love you, my darling little boy. My precious missing Link."

Link could feel the dampness under his eyes, small trails of moisture leaking along his cheeks. He stared at the finished liquid with clouded eyes.

"Link.. are you alri-"  
The old man was cut off by a nod, as Link swiftly cleaned up his face.  
"Did you understand everything I did?" The man asked, gesturing to the pot.

"I did." He answered, Link's pale blue eyes stared at the glowing mixture, his lifeblood. It seemed to resonate with the large amount of substance within him, the markings on his skin glowing their faint light.

The Old Man pulled out a few bottles, scooping up the mixture until nothing was left but an empty pot and three, filled to the brim, glass bottles of the Tear of Hylia.

"And there you have it." The Old Man finished. He handed the bottles to Link. "You must protect these bottles with your life, if these are destroyed, and you do not have the resources to make more, you will return to Hylia's lap in your state of death." With the bottles, the Old Man also handed Link a small bag, with enough room for a few bottles, ingredients, garments of clothing and just general items.

"You will need this pouch on your journey." The Man told Link.  
"What Journey?" He asked, his eyebrow rising in confusion and intrigue.  
"You must explore this area, climb that tower.." The Old Man pointed to the large, ominous structure that stood a little away from the two of them. "..Obtain a map within your sheikah slate, and collect four spirit orbs."

"What's a Spirit Orb?" Link inquired, unfamiliar with the term.

"A spirit orb, is the culmination of a soul, chosen by Hylia to assist the hero. Once four are collected, a normal person would be able to increase their stamina or their body's durability, but.." The Old Man's voice trailed off. "..as a Lifeless, your body can no longer change under these circumstances, you cannot use Heart Containers, or Stamina Vessels to increase yourself."

This was of little shock to Link. He was perfectly fine with this, though he still had one question. "Then.. what happens to the souls inside of the spirit orbs after I collect them, and cannot use them?" He asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. Though he had forgotten himself, and currently lacked most emotions, he had a feeling, that he shouldn't sacrifice the souls or lives of others to complete his own goal.

"The spirit orbs will be returned to Hylia, who will set their souls free. She will receive their power and use it to aid you on your journey in some way, such as with the sheikah slate somehow."

"About that-" Link interrupted, pulling out the slate. "It doesn't respond to my touch." To demonstrate this, Link pressed his cold, lifeless finger to the screen. It did not respond, treating the boy as an item, a corpse rather than a person.

"That.." The Old Man looked shocked, his mouth agape under his cloak. "That is disastrous.. without the sheikah slate.. you cannot access shrines, or runes.. I'm not even sure if you can use it to free the divine beasts…" He essentially collapsed onto his hands and knees, staring at the ground.

Link bit the bottom of his lip, contemplating something. "Well, I was going to keep this hidden, as all of my instincts scream at me to do so, but.." He pulled out the amulet. "I'm not sure, but will this be able to help in any way?" He asked the man.

The Old Man looked up at the amulet, his eyes widening as his hood fell from his shaky movements, sitting up into a kneel. He put the amulet into his hands, looking at it in astonishment. "W-Where.. did you get this?" He asked in a bewildered tone, his eyes slowly looking to Link.

Link shrugged. "It just kind of.. appeared last night in the fire, I'm not sure what it does, but it was surrounded in a blue flame, which wasn't hot to touch."

"This.. This amulet just.. came to you?" He asked, standing up and looking back at the item. "This amulet.. it is known as the Jewel of the Keaton, created using a gem called the Moon's Tear, a gemstone created from the moon itself, which holds mysterious abilities.. It was forged by a group of genius children, who named themselves the 'Bomber Gang', they did so while instructed by a Keaton, who took the amulet from them after, removing their memories of ever having met it."

The Old Man frowned. "This jewel was once stolen from the fox by a now immortal man named Sakon, the greatest thief to ever live." He looked at the amulet. "Legend says that this amulet even gave the Hero of Twilight his immortality during the time peace was in Hyrule."


End file.
